Memories & Visions by Mikael Berglund

Mikael Berglund (bass and keyboards) and company (Jan Ottesen, guitar; Jonas Knutsson, saxophone; Hans Rolin, drums) deliver some smooth, silky gems here. With a few exceptions, the tracks are loaded with mystique, intrigue and haunting melodies. It's not a real hard-blowing jam-packed session, but sublime and relaxed. The title track is moody with Jan Ottesen's beautiful guitar running through. Berglund brings the bass out of a mere supporting role and gives life to the scenery. Tracks like "Bagatell," which incorporates a soft saxophone over the rhythm section and "Psalm 1033," are the more pensive and introspective of them. The appropriately titled "Funny People" begins in a low-key introduction that leads into a bouncing tempo with a sense of humor, as it resembles the type of music played at Cirque De Soleil. In the midst of it all is a seductive, tough sax solo. "Stabersfield" is like a fine waltz in a new day.

Ottesen delivers some wicked guitar and Rolin's drum solo runs hot as well. "A Simple Question" builds strength as it progresses and then cools with Spanish-style guitar solo and bass. The first of two burners "Acoustic Electricity" ignites quickly, but is somewhat spacey and mysterious like the others. "P.T. (Bamse goes to Hollywood)" moves fast and intense on what sounds like a track made for a journey, as its title would suggest. "Bursting" incorporates hard rock into the mix to be the hippest groove on the disc. They expend some real energy here, quite different from the other tracks. Despite some of the contrasts, there is a great deal of consistency in that Berglund favored the cool and mystical. Nice sound, especially for the fusion crowd.